Alpacka Raft Gnarwhal, Whitewater Deck

With its next generation Rally Hull design, ergonomic seating, and 4-point thigh straps, the Gnarwhal is the most stable and forgiving whitewater packraft. Ideal for building skills and confidence, carrying heavy loads, and charging hard on high volume ru

Powerful or playful, addictive or intimidating, enlightening or terrifying, clean or chaotic. Whitewater can be the ultimate in contradictions, but the Gnarwhal will be there when you need it most so you can get to the bottom of the run with more laughing and less swimming. Advanced paddlers get the most from the Gnarwhal by setting up early and paddling hard, making it ideal for high volume rivers and messy features that require speed, power, and stability to clean. Novice and intermediate paddlers will get the most from the Gnarwhal’s unmatched stability and forgiveness, which makes rapids fun so that you can focus on honing your technique and building confidence without worrying about getting flipped every time you make a mistake.

The Gnarwhal is built with the Rally Hull, high-performance whitewater rigging, Cargo Fly zipper internal storage system, and either a Whitewater Deck or Self Bailing configuration. The Rally Hull is the highest performance whitewater hull with a center panel stern for stability and forgiveness and a rockered bow for punching over holes and carving eddy turns. The Gnarwhal is higher volume than the Wolverine to maximize stability, forgiveness, and weight capacity. The whitewater rigging includes an adjustable foam backband, ¾ length seat and foot brace and patented 4-point thigh straps.

Trying to choose between the high-volume Gnarwhal and the mid-volume Wolverine? You’ll love the Gnarwhal if you want a forgiving and easy to paddle packraft that takes the intimidation out of paddling moderate whitewater, if you want to charge hard in bigger water and features, or if you need to carry a large cargo load on a long trip. You’ll love the Wolverine if you want to squeeze as much as you can out of every run with our most engaging whitewater packraft that likes to hit every eddy and play feature, and boof off every lip. Both the Wolverine and Gnarwhal can be reliably rolled by skilled boaters with thigh straps, but the Wolverine roll is a bit easier for most people. The Gnarwhal and Wolverine are sized to fit most average sized adults, but larger and heavier (over 6’0” and 200lbs) paddlers will fit better in the Gnarwhal while smaller and lighter paddlers (under 5’7” and 150lbs) will fit better in the Wolverine.

The Gnarwhal is available in Self Bailing and Whitewater Deck configurations. (See the other tabs for additional details and recommendations). Removable whitewater decks are available by special order.

Whitewater Deck: The Whitewater Deck is ideal for staying warm in cold conditions and maximizing performance in difficult whitewater. The Whitewater Deck features a large kayak style cockpit, one-piece pex coaming, and an ultralight spray skirt. Because the Whitewater Deck will not fill with water when pushing through a wave or hole, it maintains more speed and can punch through larger waves and stickier holes than the self bailing configuration.

Cargo Fly Zipper: The Cargo Fly internal storage system comes standard on the Gnarwhal and includes roll-top dry bags. The Cargo Fly features an airtight zipper installed in the stern of the boat to allow you to store your gear inside the tubes. The system provides drier and more secure gear storage and improved paddling performance due to a lower center of gravity. The included roll-top dry bags clip in place along each side of the tubes with a side release buckle and allow for better organization and weight balance than placing the contents of your pack loose inside the Cargo Fly. They also act as additional balanced air chambers for increased safety (even over a two-chamber packraft) in the event of a puncture.

AQUASEAL WARNING: Using the Aquaseal in the repair kit will expose you to toluene, a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

The chart below shows the recommended size based on your sit length and the Gnarwhal’s fit profile. To determine your sit length, sit against a wall with your legs flat (wearing your preferred paddling shoes) and measure the distance from the wall to your heels. The Gnarwhal is sized for a whitewater fit, meaning that a typical paddler in the recommended size will be able to deeply bend their knees for maximum engagement in the thigh straps for the most secure high-performance fit. You can size up or down for a more performance or relaxed fit.

Sizing Chart

Small

Medium

Large

XL

Paddler Sit Length

36-41in | 91-104cm

39-43in | 99-104cm

42-46in | 107-117cm

45-50in | 114-127cm

Exterior Length

92in | 234cm

94in | 239cm

97in | 246cm

100in | 254cm

Exterior Width

38in | 97cm

38in | 97cm

38in | 97cm

38in | 97cm

Interior Length

41in | 104cm

43in | 109cm

46in | 117cm

49in | 124cm

Interior Width at Hip

15in | 38cm

15in | 38cm

15in | 38cm

15in | 38cm

Max Capacity*

450lbs | 204kg

450lbs | 204kg

450lbs | 204kg

450lbs | 204kg

*Max Capacity is the maximum total weight (paddlers and cargo) that the boat can reasonably carry in flatwater under ideal conditions. Actual capacity for any given trip will vary widely based on the paddler’s skill and water conditions.

Specifications

Self Bailer (SB)

Whitewater Deck (WW)

Weight

Packed Size

Weight

Packed Size

Small

7.7lb|3.5kg

20x7in|51x18cm

9.0lb|4.08kg

20x9.5in|51x24cm

Medium

7.9lb|3.57kg

20x7.5in|51x19cm

9.2lb|4.17kg

20x9.5in|51x24cm

Large

8.1lb|3.69kg

20x7.5in|51x20cm

9.4lb|4.26kg

20x10in|51x25cm

XL

8.4lb|3.82kg

20x8.5in|51x22cm

9.6lb|4.35kg

20x10in|51x25cm

*Weight includes all components except inflation bag, repair kit, and internal dry bags for Cargo Fly.**Packed size is a reference measurement based on folding each lengthwise edge of the boat to the center and rolling from the bow. There are many other methods of rolling and folding the boats that will result in a different packed size that may be more or less efficient for packing depending on the situation.

Materials

Hull:

Standard: Proprietary 210-denier high count nylon, single side laminated with pigmented polyurethane film (Made in USA)

Vectran: High performance liquid crystal polymer yarn (five times stronger than steel) in 200-denier and 400-denier options. Higher tear strength and rigidity than nylon, but more susceptible to scrapes and pinholes. 400-denier Vectran is heavier and bulkier than standard fabric. Four week minimum lead time. Made in USA.

Custom Multi-Color: Custom Multi Color means that you pick the standard fabric in colors of your choice, subject to availability and a minimum 4-week lead time. If you place a custom multi-color order, please read and follow these Custom Multi-Color Ordering Instructions.

Floor: Proprietary 840-denier ballistics nylon, laminated on both sides with polyurethane film (Made in USA).

Seat: 200-denier oxford nylon, with single side polyurethane laminate (Made in USA).

Accessories: All grab loops and similar attachments are manufactured in house in Mancos, Colorado out of scrap floor materials and USA made webbing. Small parts and fasteners are Made in USA, when available, and sourced from industry leaders like Duraflex, YKK, and ITW-Nexus.